HW410 Stress: Critical Issues in Management and

Prevention

Stress Management and

Prevention Program
Resource Guide

1
Stress Management and Prevention
Program Resource Guide

By

Aria Vineyard

HW410: Stress: Critical Issues in Management and Prevention

July 22, 2018

Table of Contents
U N I T 1 T H E N A T U R E O F S T R E S S

Information to Remember ...................................................................................................................... 3

Self-Assessment Exercises ...................................................................................................................... 3
Journal Writing .......................................................................................................................................... 6

U N I T 2 T H E P H Y S I O L O G Y O F S T R E S S

Information to Remember ...................................................................................................................... 7

Self-Assessment Exercises ...................................................................................................................... 7
Journal Writing ........................................................................................................................................10

U N I T 3 P S Y C H O L O G Y O F S T R E S S

Information to Remember ....................................................................................................................13

Self-Assessment Exercises ....................................................................................................................13
Journal Writing ........................................................................................................................................15

U N I T 4 P E R S O N A L I T Y T R A I T S A N D T H E H U M A N S P I R I T U A L I T Y

Information to Remember ....................................................................................................................17

Self-Assessment Exercises ....................................................................................................................17
Journal Writing ........................................................................................................................................22

U N I T 5 D E A L I N G W I T H S T R E S S : C O P I N G S T R A T E G I E S

Information to Remember ....................................................................................................................25

Journal Writing ........................................................................................................................................25

U N I T 6 R E L A X A T I O N T E C H I Q U E S 1 : B R E A T H I N G , M E D I T A T I O N ,

A N D M E N T A L I M A G E R Y

Information to Remember ....................................................................................................................27

Self-Assessment Exercises ....................................................................................................................27
Journal Writing ........................................................................................................................................31

U N I T 7 N U T R I T I O N A N D S T R E S S

Information to Remember ....................................................................................................................35

Self-Assessment Exercises ....................................................................................................................35
U N I T 8 P H Y S I C A L E X E R C I S E A N D A C T I V I T Y

Information to Remember ....................................................................................................................38

Self-Assessment Exercises ....................................................................................................................38
Journal Writing ........................................................................................................................................44

U N I T 9 A P P L Y I N G S T R E S S : C R I T I C A L I S S U E S F O R M A N A G E M E N T

A N D P R E V E N T I O N T O Y O U R P R O F E S S I O N A L L I F E

Information to Remember ....................................................................................................................47

A D D I T I O N A L I N F O R M A T I O N P A G E 4 8

R E F E R E N C E S P A G E 4 9

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Unit

Unit 1: The Nature of Stress

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Acute stress happens by surprise and it's typically intense, more than chronic
stress. But it doesn't last as long. (Seward, 2018).
Key Learning Point: Mindfulness is about living in the present moment. You can be mindful during
any daily life activity. It doesn’t only happen during a meditation session (Stahl & Goldstein,
2010).
Key Learning Point: Avoid getting sucked into the material world with all the possessions and
technology. Remember love, compassion, and generosity through mindfulness (Stahl &
Goldstein, 2010).

Self-Assessment Exercise:
Self-Assessment Assignment

The image on the left is my wellness mandala,

encompassing the emotional, mental, physical, and

Emotional
Mental spiritual domains. This paper will examine each area of
Physical
Spiritual my mandala and how it contributes to my overall

wellness and balancing stress. Additionally, I will

discuss an environment what helps me achieve this

balance for my wellbeing.

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 First, I would like to mention that I personally think each section is just as important as any

other. I believe that improving in all 4 areas is vital to achieving balance for my overall wellness and

keeping stress at a minimum. This model is based off of the example from our class text, Managing

Stress (Seward, 2018).

The emotional component is important because when we are emotionally strong, we are able

to control our feelings, rather than let our feelings dictate how we act (Seward, 2018). This is really

about being emotionally aware of how emotions can be triggered and what thoughts or actions follow.

I used to really struggle with this but I have become more aware of how my emotions can get the best

of me. But now, I am able to see those connections, and can remind myself to be present and not get

overwhelmed. If I get overwhelmed, it can negatively impact the mental component of my mandala.

The mental component is important because this is how I think, how I process data to make

decisions, remember things, and how to communicate effectively. Being mentally strong helps in

dealing with stressful situations and helps you identify the difference between emotional versus

intellectual thoughts.

The next component is the physical one, which includes the entire physical body and how each

organ system works together for optimal body functions. This can include breathing, digestion, blood

flow and so much more. If your body is functioning properly and free from disease, it is better able to

prevent disease.

So if our mind and body are strong, this leads us to the spiritual component. This is another

vital piece of the mandala because this is where you find your life purpose, and develop your inner

self. Spirituality fosters the connection within and also the connection with everything and everyone

in the universe. You experience awareness like never before; it’s about really waking up and

becoming conscious (Seward, 2018).

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 An environment that helps me to achieve balance is my current deployment. This isn’t a

normal deployment. Usually deployments are especially tough with long work hours, impossible

bosses, unrealistic deadlines, and filled with stress from every angle, whether at work or family back

home. Thankfully, I am on a deployment that has none of that stress. Somehow, the universe has led

me here to facilitate my healing. In the years prior to this, I struggled through traumatic events,

domestic abuse, death threats, an ugly divorce, and failing classes. I had to fight for my life to find

balance, recovery, and healing. The road has been quite bumpy but I got through it. I used to think

that I lost everything, but I didn’t. Over the years, I learned meditation and other self-care tools and

they have been essential to my journey. Now, as I reflect, I’ve made tremendous progress. And I have

finally ended up in an environment where I can really take time for myself; my life is at a somewhat

peaceful state, for the first time in several years. My work schedule is flexible and I have time to do

self-care and to work on all four areas of my mandala. I’m working on my time management to

balance various healthy habits. I’m eating healthier (switched to a plant based vegan diet), exercising,

taking classes, journaling, reading, meditating, and practicing yoga again. Here, I have less

distractions like busy work schedules, social events that I don’t want to go to, traffic, long commutes

home, or annoying co-workers. Back home, I never felt like I had enough time. Now, I am able to get

my job done and have plenty of time for myself.

Additionally that includes, time for school. While writing papers is my number one stressor,

thankfully this class is reminding me about the importance of stress management and mindfulness.

This not only helps me manage stress when it comes to homework, it is also helping to improve the

various areas of my overall wellness making my brain healthier, and better at handling stressful

situations (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010).

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 So in conclusion, I have shared a graphic depiction of my wellness mandala and discussed

each of the 4 components. I examined how each component contributes to my overall wellness.

Lastly, I explained how my current deployment is a healthy environment where I can work on my

overall wellbeing and stress management (Seaward, 2015).

Journal Writing:
How Stressed Are You?

Rating (1-10)
Stressful Situation Start Mid End
1. Doing homework 10
2. Other people’s negative energy 8
3. When my face gets oily throughout the day (this is a 7
real problem in my life)
4. Wanting a support system for my vegan lifestyle 5
5. Doing laundry while living in Germany (the dryers are 5
substantially inefficient- this is a 5-7 hour ordeal)
6. Driving in busy cities in Germany or other countries 5
7. Planning my career path 2
8. Planning a trip to a new city or country 2
9. Giving presentations at work 2
10. Figuring out what part of town to move to 2

Key:
Distress
Neustress
Eustress
(Stahl & Goldstein, 2010).

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 2
Unit

Unit 2: The Physiology of Stress

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Mindfulness has a positive effect on the physical body by improving brain
health, slowing aging, and it also encourages self-care with the goal of enhanced overall
wellbeing. Research has also shown mindfulness to be effective with managing or reducing
mental health disorders, skin disorders, while improving sleep habits, empathy, and immune
system reaction (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010).
Key Learning Point: The brain can regenerate and reorganize itself, its pathways, tissues, cells, and
the way it functions. The brain’s ability to control regeneration and reorganization is called
neuroplasticity (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: When the body is exposed to stress, it can develop diseases that affect the
nervous system. Bronchial asthma, tension headaches, migraines, temporomandibular joint
dysfunction and irritable bowel syndrome are five ways that stress can affect the physical body
(Seaward, 2015).

Self-Assessment Exercise:
In this assignment, I will describe neuroscience and neuroplasticity and its significance to the

brain. Additionally, I will identify and explain five diseases that occur when the nervous system is

affected by stress. Lastly, I will discuss one disease that occurs when the immune system is affected

by stress.

There is something very special about the mind-body connection, though this hasn’t always

been widely accepted by western medicine and society. Thankfully, neuroscientists have made

discoveries that support that our brains are much more complex than we thought because our thoughts

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and emotions are in fact, linked to our physical body, physiology. Our brains contain neural pathways

joining the mind and body. The study of this mind-body connection is neuroscience (Stahl &

Goldstein, 2010).

The human brain is so complex, that we are still figuring out all of the intricate things it can

do. Neuroscientists have been at the forefront of this exploration, discovering that the brain can

regenerate and reorganize itself, its pathways, tissues, cells, and the way it functions. The brain’s

ability to control regeneration and reorganization is called neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity is about

how the brain can transform or evolve (Seward, 2018).

Now that we have established the mind-body connection, let’s look at how stress can affect the

body in terms of disease. When we are stressed, it’s usually because we are afraid or overwhelmed by

something. That feeling comes from fear and fear is first conveyed within our mind, our brain, more

specifically, the amygdala. With that said, the brain is one of our most vital organs. This is truly is

where the magic happens. This is the control center, information processing center, where every other

body systems receives messages and oversight of functions. So as we consider neuroplasticity, our

brain has a multifaceted design that allow for it to really transform based on information it processes.

So when the brain is faced with a threat, fear, overwhelming conditions, it generates fight or flight

response through physical pathways to the nervous system (Seward, 2018).

When the body is exposed to stress, it can develop diseases that affect the nervous system.

Bronchial asthma, tension headaches, migraines, temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJD), and

irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are five examples. An asthma attack occurs when stress hormones

induce an over production of secretion in the tissues lining large airways. This causes the airways to

constrict, making someone feel like they can’t breathe. These episodes can be severe and may require

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medical attention. However, relaxation techniques have been helpful for managing this condition

(Seward, 2018).

Tension headaches happen when facial muscles contract, causing pain. While many people

turn to pain reliever pills, many others can manage with relaxation techniques like meditation.

Migraines are a more intense kind of a headache; it’s a vascular headache. Sometimes, a few hours

after a stressful event, there is a sudden constriction and dilation of blood vessels. The drastic change

in blood pressure can cause pain on the left or right side of the brain but not simultaneously. Dizziness

and nausea may accompany the intense pain from a migraine. There is medicine available for

migraines but biofeedback and mental imagery are effective options that don’t have as many side

effects (Seward, 2018).

TMJD is a condition when someone clenches their jaws or grinds their teeth while they are

sleeping. This results in jaw pain, earache, or muscle pain. There could also be an audible clicking

sound when they open or close their mouth. A mouth guard can help with TMJD but relaxation

techniques can also help manage this condition.

IBS is a disease that affects the gastrointestinal tract. Symptoms may include craps, abdominal

tenderness, gas, diarrhea, or even constipation. This may occur with depression or anxiety. While diet

and medicines are an option, relaxation techniques are an effective choice as well (Seward, 2018).

Stress hormones can really throw body functions off balance in a number of ways, including

suppressing the immune system. Ulcers can be caused by stress. Our stomachs have powerful

enzymes to breakdown and digest food but our body has a built in protection layer of mucus for the

stomach lining. Stress hormones can weaken this protection layer, thus creating weak spots where an

ulcer develops because the digestion enzymes are eating through the stomach lining, or rather it’s

bacteria that creates an open wound. If your immune system is suppressed, you’re more susceptible to

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illness. A combination of a healing diet and relaxation techniques are helpful for those with ulcers

(Seward, 2018).

To summarize, I have described neuroscience, neuroplasticity and its significance to the

brain. Additionally, I have introduced and explained five diseases that occur when the nervous

system is affected by stress. Lastly, I have discussed one disease that occurs when the immune

system is affected by stress (Seaward, 2015).

Journal Writing:
How is stress or anxiety about people affecting your life?

Honestly, there is only one person that brings stress or anxiety into my life. I have a friend that

is half way across the globe but we talk often on the phone or by text. She has been going through her

own struggles but has turned into a very negative person. After talking to her, I usually feel drained

and frustrated. Sometimes, I don’t even want to talk to her because I don’t want to feel like that.

How is stress or anxiety about work affecting your life?

I don’t really have much stress about work. I have to give presentations at work so sometimes,

I’m nervous just before I start but it usually doesn’t last long- only a few moments. Since I have been

giving presentations, those minutes are shorter and shorter and it doesn’t feel intense like it did when I

first started.

How is stress or anxiety about the world affecting your life?

I’ve recently gone back to a vegan diet again. And as I learn more about animal rights and

ethics, as well as negative health and environmental impacts, I get stressed out about the fact that

people still eat meat and refuse to see and accept the truth. It’s just that people can be mean, close-

minded, and don’t question things. People can be so gullible and large corporations corrupt the

government. I don’t want to go overboard here but what it comes down to is, I feel a lot of pain for the

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animals. I get frustrated about the widespread ignorance that blankets most of the world when it

comes to this. There are so many layers to this. But I don’t want to be pushy or annoying to anyone

about it so I keep it all to myself, and sometimes I write in my journal about it. But I do wish I had a

support system. Sometimes, I want to cry when I walk past the meat section at the grocery store,

because when I see the meat in the packages, my heart sees dead bodies, dead, helpless animals laced

with fear and suffering. So I try to avoid that part of the grocery store. And I don’t have any friends so

far, on this deployment; so talking about this with anyone has not come up. I have avoided talking to

my best friend about it. She used to be vegan too but went back to eating meat. I told her about my

decision to go back to vegan once and mentioned my attempt at a new recipe. She made some rude

remarks so I decided not to discuss it with her again.

How is stress or anxiety about food and eating habits affecting your life?

I think the above paragraph is related to this. I have stress that stems from killing animals for

food. I did not have any issues giving up meat, dairy and eggs for good. I’m preparing all my meals

from home and I eat alone. This is fine, but I am not looking forward to dining with people in social

settings when I go home, or if I make friends while I’m here. The most stressful part about being

vegan is the social aspect, like dining with friends and family and them interrogating you about your

life choices, and them offering meat to you, or judging you, or being rude. I went vegan before, and

this was the worst part. It’s frustrating when you realize how your personal life choices can really

bother other people and make them treat you differently.

How is stress or anxiety about sleep and sleeplessness affecting your life?

Thankfully I get a lot of sleep. For many years, I struggled with getting proper sleep and the

problems that it caused in other parts of my life. Now, I am happy with the amount and quality of

sleep I get. However, I need to start going to bed earlier and waking up earlier.

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How is stress or anxiety about exercise or lack of physical activity affecting your life?

I would like to exercise daily but I don’t always feel like there’s time because I have to do my

homework. I enjoy exercising and do it several times a week but I have to work on my time

management so I don’t feel rushed when it comes to allocating time for exercise, homework, and

other things like cooking and eating food.

Summary

I was surprised at how much I ended up writing for this assignment. I really am in a better spot

in my life, compared to where I was last year and the years prior. But I think this assignment was

useful in guiding my self-reflection on where I have stress or anxiety. My new vegan life has been

great so far but I can definitely see what areas cause stress for me. I’m looking forward to addressing

those so I can be successful this time. Another interesting part of this assignment was evaluating the

people in my life to see how my best friend ended up being the person who stresses me the most. This

is a really tough situation (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010).

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 3
Unit

Unit 3: Psychology of Stress

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Ultimately, you want to reach a point of forgiveness; this is entirely for your
own benefit so you don't hang on to negativity. Forgiveness is the result of working through
frustrations on the inside, so it doesn't eat you up on the inside (Seaward, 2018).
Key Learning Point: Journaling is a great outlet for you to express your feelings and can help you
reach a sense of peace. This can help you cope or manage anger (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Some of the ways in which I can improve my communication is to be more
precise and concise with my words. I also need to be more comfortable with addressing issues as
they come up rather than waiting too long or bring it up at the wrong time. I also need to be more
receptive to constructive criticism and not jump to defensiveness (Seaward, 2015).

Self-Assessment Exercise:
The Tibetan culture teaches us that stress results from our aspirations and attachments. This

occurs because of the tension between our self and our higher self. Many times we are influences by

external factors. We place too much value on things that we think matter, but in actuality, they don’t

truly fulfill who we really are, our higher self. The ego, our conscious mind, tends to focus on specific

things, rather than the big picture, oneness. When we focus on something specific, it robs us of our

connection to our higher self, divine consciousness. Along the way, we end up frustrated and stressed

when we don’t get that specific thing. Laziness, procrastination, and desire stem from the self and

prevent us from achieving the realization of our higher self. But we can use meditation as a tool to

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manage the self and understand what triggers our stress, so we can overcome it and live with a state of

inner peace (Seward, 2018).

Our class text, Managing Stress, provides an overview of several theorists who have studied

psychology and stress: Freud, Jung, Kubler-Kloss, Dyer, Fankl, among others. The common theme I

see between the pioneers in this field is that the all emphasize the significance of the self. In all of

their teachings, I think the main takeaway is that we, as individuals have the answers within us, we

truly are the captain of our own ships. We have the power to look within and find resolutions,

solutions, understanding, and meaning that leads us to a more balanced and peaceful state of

acceptance. Society has grown to focus on external influences, to attach to things that do not serve us.

Generally, many of our mind’s real estate is occupied by the past or the future, and things that provide

temporary and false fulfillment. But in doing so, we become distracted from the present moment and

we don’t even realize it. We are so focused on going somewhere, attaining something, searching for

answers in all the wrong places. But all we have to do is self-reflect, learn to observe our thoughts,

and notice what they are, where they come from, and understand how they are influenced. Once we

become aware, and understand what’s on the inside, we can then catch a glimpse of all the answers,

the inner peace, and the happiness that we so desperately seek. But first, we must recognize the

importance and significance of that introspective journey in order to reach our full potential (Seward,

2018).

But for some people this is scary. Fear is a powerful emotion that can manifest in different

ways and it stems for different reasons and can heavily influence behavior and thoughts. So first you

have to identify what you are afraid of. Is it fear of failure, the unknown, of rejection, of being alone,

or losing self-control? Once you are able to ID the cause, you can work towards overcoming it. This

starts with self-reflection, taking an honest inventory of your state of mind, experiences, memories,

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attachments, and expectations. Then you can use behavioral therapy, reframing your thoughts, mental

imagery, meditation, assertiveness training, or desensitization (Seward, 2018).

While the connection to the inner self is most important, remembering that the ability to

communicate with others effectively is just as important. I’ve picked up some tips from what I’ve

read in this week’s reading. Some of the ways in which I can improve my communication is to be

more precise and concise with my words. Sometimes, I talk too much and my point gets lost in the

lengthy wording. I also need to be more comfortable with addressing issues as they come up rather

than waiting too long or bring it up at the wrong time. I also need to be more receptive to constructive

criticism and not jump to defensiveness. Additionally, if there is an issue, I need to be honest about

my responsibility of it and communicate that clearly (Seward, 2018).

Journal Writing:
I completed this meditation using a recording from Youtube. I chose this alternative because I don’t

have a device that can play a CD, at the moment. The recording I used had wording similar to that of

the exercise in the workbook.

It’s been a while since I last meditated and overall, it felt great to experience it again. I don’t

know why I ever stopped. I used to do it daily’ and I’d like to get back into the habit. At the beginning

of my meditation, it took a few moments to calm down to relax. Prior to this, I had been feeling

stressed about homework. However, just breathing felt calming, and I felt thankful just to breathe. As

in, all I was responsible for was breathing. Soon, I was calm and relaxed. Being present, allowed me

to notice each body part, how everything felt. This is when I noticed, for the first time, the intense

tension in my upper back. I adjusted my posture. Through out this time, mind thoughts went in and

out of clear calmness, to homework deadlines and how overwhelming that felt. But I’d come back to

my breath. Later, I had thoughts of journaling and how happy and relaxed I feel when I do journal.

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But then I’d come back to my breath. It just felt so good to be present, knowing that this moment was

the only thing that matters. In that moment, I wasn’t doing homework or planning my day around it. I

was just there, here, in the now. As for emotions, I felt good but I felt that I had been missing out

since it had been so long since I had meditated. I really just felt like, this is what I have needed, to

meditate, and to be present. I continued breathing, in and out; noticing each breath and how my body

felt. After my meditation, I texted my best friend to tell her about my meditation and to ask her when

was the last time she meditated. We had a conversation about self-care, earlier in the day, but we

hadn’t talked about meditation until then (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010).

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 4
Unit

Unit 4: Personality Traits and the Human

Spirituality
Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Self-esteem is part of your personality and it is a combination of how you value
and accept yourself, as well as how you love yourself. Since, it is a component of personality, it
can either help or hurt your susceptibility to stress. (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Some personalities have high self-esteem and are resistant to stress, like the
hardy personality and sensation seeker. These people have a high degree of connectedness,
uniqueness, (inner) power, and have strong role-models that have these traits too (Seaward,
2015).
Key Learning Point: The ego is responsible for emphasizing fear emotions but you have to live in a
state of acceptance and be gentle with yourself especially with regard to inner thoughts and self-
talk. And, you have to be honest with yourself and not cast blame on external influences
(Seaward, 2015).

Self-Assessment Exercise:
This paper will discuss several topics related to stress- the link between stress and self-esteem, and

how relationships, values, and meaningful life purpose are affected by stress. Additionally, it will

analyze the differences between values, attitudes, and beliefs. Lastly, it will examine a lifestyle

activity through Prochaska’s Stages of Change Model.

Self-esteem is part of your personality and it is a combination of how you value and

accept yourself, as well as how you love yourself. It is the culmination of self-respect, self-love, and

self-value. Since, it is a component of personality, it can either help or hurt your susceptibility to

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stress. Some personalities have high self-esteem and are resistant to stress, like the hardy personality

and sensation seeker. These people have a high degree of connectedness, uniqueness, (inner) power,

and have strong role models that have these traits too. This means they more likely to tap into inner

resources that protect them from stress. On the contrary, there are personality types that have low self-

esteem and are more prone to stress such as, the type-A, helpless-hopeless, and codependent

personalities. These people tend to lack in the aforementioned qualities and may seek validation from

outside sources or not at all. Furthermore, if they don’t value themselves, trust their inner voice, or

have a tendency to doubt their abilities, they’re more likely to experience stress and have a harder

time coping with it. They may even compensate with inappropriate behavior. On a positive note,

behavior and internal thoughts can be modified, thus is it possible to develop high self-esteem. Over

time, you'll be better at managing stress and become more resistant to it (Seaward, 2018).

Some key principals to achieving a high self-esteem are to always be present and not focus on

the past or future; it’s important to be conscious of the present through all your senses and to

recognize when your ego tries to steer you off course. Though the ego is responsible for emphasizing

fear emotions, you have to live in a state of acceptance and be gentle with yourself especially with

regard to inner thoughts and self-talk. At the same time, you have to be honest with yourself and not

cast blame on external influences. You are the only one responsible for your inner space, observe it,

protect it, and own it. There will always be things that happen beyond your control but your reaction

is what matters most. Be honest with yourself about what you truly want and be assertive. Set an

intention and live with purpose. It’s okay to say no, and it’s okay to say yes, as long as it aligns with

your values, attitudes, and beliefs. This is your guiding light for behavior and shines on how you act

within, and in other relationships and situations (Seaward, 2018).

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 As we consider that a high self-esteem aids in stress management and susceptibility, let’s

examine relationships, values, and life purpose. We were born to connect with others and we thrive on

relationships with positive associations. There is satisfaction in connecting with others in a nurturing

way, when all parties feel acknowledged and respected. Since we are all unique individuals, we all

bring something valuable to the table. Your uniqueness means you have something special to share.

Your life purpose is that special something. Life purpose is not only meaningful and beneficial to you,

but to others as well. You can find it through self-reflection.

Don’t be afraid to access resources from within, which are based on our values. So it’s

essential to know what your values are. They are those subtle but powerful concepts that mean most

to you. It could include things like integrity, love, creativity, education, or something else. All of this

contributes to your shield from stress. When you are in touch with your moral compass, feel and

believe you are strong, empowered, and connected, and have purpose in your life, it repels stress. This

makes you more capable of managing any stress that could arise. Your resilience becomes your

resistance to stress (Seaward, 2018).

Your personality is composed of values, attitudes, and behaviors. On the surface, it may seem

like all of these are so closely related that they are the same. While they are related, they are in fact,

different. Values are intangible principles that guide you in life, the fabric of your moral compass,

what you tap into during major decisions. They might even consist of wealth, privacy, knowledge,

compassion, freedom, or something else. This is what gives your life meaning, and it can be different

for everyone. Over time, values and their priority may change. Attitudes or perceptions correspond to

an each value and is positive or negative. And behavior is the physical action derived from your

attitude, which is rooted in one of your values. Behaviors can either contribute to or detract from your

health. Changing someone’s personality is rare but in some cases, attitudes can shift, however, there is

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a significant amount of attention. Behavior is the most receptive to change. Health really is accessible

to all (Seaward, 2018).

Since behavior can either help or hinder health status, let’s explore behavior change using

Prochaska’s Stages of Change Model, which is a 6-step process. But first, I want to emphasize that

change doesn’t happen overnight. It is a process that takes time and effort to really follow through

with optimal results. We’ll use a behavior such as physical inactivity as an example. In the first stage

(pre-contemplative), this person is not aware of any problem that needs to change. Though they do not

engage in any physical activity, they’re in denial about this being a problem for their health. In the

second stage (contemplative), they acquire knowledge or a realization that provokes

acknowledgement that change might be a good idea. Maybe someone sees a photo of them and realize

they want to lose weight. Or they may have been diagnosed with an illness that could be prevented,

managed, or cured with healthy diet and regular exercise. In the third stage (determination), willpower

kicks in and thoughts transition into action steps. For example, that person may start researching

gyms, yoga classes, zumba classes, personal trainers, or evaluate their schedule to find time for a daily

walk in the park. This may include phone calls, booking appointments or consultations. It may even

include picking up a group exercise schedule or touring a local gym (Seaward, 2018).

The fourth stage (action) is all about action. Since the preparation occurred in the last stage, it

is now time for execution of the plan. This person has started taking exercising, either with a personal

trainer, on his or her own, or in a group setting. An exercise regimen is in progress; regular physical

activity is happening in the present moment. This new behavior may not be perfect but it is definitely

happening nonetheless. At this stage, the person may be working out the kinks of time management,

scheduling (finding out that morning exercise is better than evening time), perhaps trying out a variety

of exercise settings (yoga studio, traditional gym, boxing, cross fit, swimming) to find the best fit for

20
them. In the fifth stage (maintenance), the exercise routine has become second nature. It’s become a

part of their lifestyle. But behavior change is a process that requires active involvement (Seaward,

2018).

The sixth stage (relapse) is when a person reverts to old patterns for a little while, but regains

focus and demonstrates the new behavior again. So maybe this person followed a solid fitness

regimen for a few weeks or months but stopped exercising following a vacation or because of changes

in work schedule. Or maybe it was just easier to fall back into old habits because of a break in self-

value, self-respect, or self-love. The critical element is when the person overcomes those challenges,

and reestablishes the new behavior. In the end, the person has transformed a behavior that impedes

health, into one that promotes it (Seaward, 2018).

To summarize, this paper has covered several topics related to stress and self-esteem, as well

as relationships, values, and meaningful life purpose. Additionally, we analyzed the differences

between values, attitudes, and beliefs. Lastly, we examined behavior change through Prochaska’s

Stages of Change Model.

21
Journal Writing:
FEAR: apprehension, anxiety, distress, edginess, jumpiness, nervousness, panic, tenseness,

uneasiness, worry, fright, feeling overwhelmed.

Out of the above emotions, I can identify with all of them. I notice that most of them manifest

in my chest or upper back and shoulders. Anxiety, distress, edginess, jumpiness, nervousness, panic,

and worry manifest in my chest and cause me to round my shoulders. Feeling overwhelmed,

tenseness, apprehension, uneasiness, and fright manifest in my upper back. And nervousness and

overwhelm also come through in my neck. These fear emotions usually make me feel tense, tight and

warm. They also make me want to slouch my posture without realizing it.

CONFUSION: bewildered, uncertain, puzzled, mystified, perplexed, chaotic, foggy, or unaware.

Reflecting on this set of emotions doesn’t come clear as easily. But I think feeling uncertain,

perplexed and chaotic comes through in my stomach.

ANGER: aggravation, agitation, annoyance, destructiveness, disgust, envy, frustration, irritation,

grouchiness, grumpiness, rage.

For this set of emotions, I feel aggravation, annoyance, frustration, irritation, and grouchiness

most in my head and neck. This set of emotions definitely makes me feel hot and I think I can almost

feel my blood vessels constrict.

SADNESS: alienation, anguish, despair, disappointment, gloom, grief, hopelessness, insecurity,

loneliness, misery, unhappiness, rejection.

I am familiar with all these emotions coming through most clearly in my chest and it also

makes me round my shoulders. This also affects my posture. It’s almost like I subconsciously cave in

my chest, maybe as a way to console myself, my heart. Additionally, I think it makes my head tilt

lower too. I hang my head low, kind of sad and droopy, the way that Eyeore looks (character from

22
Winnie the Pooh).

SHAME: guilt, embarrassment, humiliation, invalidation, regret, remorse, mortification.

Unfortunately, I know all of these shame emotions all too well. They all manifest in my hips

and stomach. When I feel them, I feel my hips and stomach become tense and tight. And then I also

feel my shoulders round as I slouch my posture. This particular set of emotions just make me feel like

I’m empty inside but yet like I want to cover up my “emptiness” by “locking up and slouching”…

perhaps in a way to shield myself from others.

LOVE: affection, arousal, attraction, caring, compassion, desire, fondness, infatuation, kindness,

liking, longing, warmth, sympathy, sentimentality.

These emotions make me feel warm and full, inside. I feel them most in my heart, my chest

and stomach. When I feel these emotions, I sometimes do a shrug with my shoulders as I embrace the

feeling; but it’s a happy shrug and it’s usually accompanied with a smile.

JOY: amusement, bliss, contentment, eagerness, elation, enjoyment, enthusiasm, excitement,

exhilaration, hope, optimism, pleasure, satisfaction.

These joyful emotions manifest most in my chest and head. Often times, I feel myself nod my

head as I welcome these emotions. It’s almost like I nod “yes” as in, keep it coming! This makes me

warm inside and calm and content. These emotions are always packed with lots of smiles.

Summary

Overall, I thought this was an interesting exercise to do. Before this, I hadn’t really given

much thought to exactly where in my body I could feel different emotions; or that different emotions

manifest in different areas. I think in the future, I will be more aware of this connection. But as I

reflected on the range of emotions, some of them were difficult to sit with or hold in thought. Some of

the negative emotions reminded me of the last time I felt them or how deeply I’ve felt them at

23
different times in my life. I’ve overcome some traumatic experiences and this made me connect with

memories that I’m not particularly fond of. But the good news is that I didn’t freak out and I have an

entirely different perspective on the past, my healing journey, and the profound insight I have gained

from having gone through it. In the end, I am thankful and I feel content, optimistic, and blissful

(Stahl & Goldstein, 2010).

24
 5
Unit

Unit 5: Dealing with Stress: Coping Strategies

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Sometimes you just have to face the pain, the stress, and even illness. Doing so
encourages inner growth and resilience (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010).
Key Learning Point: RAIN is a concept that helps you explore your inner self and what might trigger
reactions. It stands for Recognize, Allow, Investigate, and Non-Identify (Stahl & Goldstein,
2010).
Key Learning Point: Prochaska’s Stages of Change Model is a 6-step process is a method to change
behavior. You can go from denial, contemplative, action, determination, maintenance, and
relapse (Seaward, 2015).

Journal Writing:
I chose to do the body scan meditation. I do not have a device that can play CD’s so I found a

similar version on YouTube. I used “Guided Body Scan Meditation for Mind & Body Healing” by

Michael Sealey. I set up my yoga mat in the living room, lit several candles and I did the meditation

while lying down.

When I first began, I felt like I had to deliberately calm myself because my thoughts were non-

stop, I could feel my heart beat through my torso, and it just felt like even though I was lying still and

trying to relax, my body wanted to “run around.” But as I listened to the words and began

investigating my body, I noticed everything starting to settle, like my breathing, my heartbeat, and my

thoughts. Although, the main things I thought about were: This feels so relaxing, did I light the

25
incense? , I better make sure I pay attention to each body part so I can write this down later, who’s

dog is barking? Maybe the dog should meditate, okay, back to my feet, his voice is soothing, but

make sure I remember to write this all down afterwards.

I noticed my feet were cold, but the left one was colder than the other. I also noticed the tops

of my feet is where they felt cold. As I wiggled my toes, I thought my feet were cute and they felt

soft; it made me giggle. I’d been walking around all day before this, so at this moment, it felt like my

feet could finally take a break too. My lower legs felt neutral at first, but then I noticed my right calf

felt tight while the left one didn’t. I could feel them both relax a bit more after a few muscle

contractions. While this was happening, I also thought about how proud I was for taking the time to

meditate as a form of self-care. As we moved along, my upper legs both felt neutral but I did notice a

bit of tightness on the right side. The recording told me to notice the connection of the muscle to

bone, and that’s when I noticed the tightness. Through out this, I intently focused on my breathing

too.

It was around this part where my mind started drifting and I started noticing other parts of my

body; my mind wasn’t really keeping up with the recording. For example, I could feel that my back

felt coldness coming from under my yoga mat. I could really feel my back muscles, my spine, and the

material of my clothes against my skin. I could feel my shoulders and chest, both feeling rather tense

and tight and even more so on the right side. With each breath, I tried to allow them to relax a bit

more upon each exhale. I then noticed that the pain and tightness in the right side of my neck was

much more apparent than it had been all day. I woke up with pain and tightness there earlier this

morning; maybe I slept in an unusual position. But even though it had been bothering me all day, this

was the first time I really paid attention to it.

26
 At this point I began wondering why I had slept in a weird position. I started think about what

was stressful this week. I had broken up with my boyfriend a few days ago, and I felt sad for him. So

in this moment, I thought of him and how sad he was when I told him. But then I started to feel happy

about the connection with my inner self. I know that he and I are not a good fit right now. And I am

learning to trust my intuition more, to be more assertive, and I just felt happy to have stood up for

what I wanted and needed. Because what I wanted and needed was myself. In the past, I have

unknowingly sought validation from other people, from relationships, but in the last few months of

self-reflection and inner work, I have increased my inner resources. And in the last few weeks, I have

learned so much more during this class. I really feel like I’m undergoing a transformation.

As all that went through my head, I connected back to the words of the meditation noticing my

wrists, hands, and fingers. My wrists felt neutral on the left, and tight on the right. My hands felt cold,

but not as cold as my feet felt. Before I knew it, the meditation was coming to an end. And honestly, I

am not fully sure if I had fallen asleep or not but my awareness to my body, my thoughts, and the

words on the meditation all connected and or drifted ever so gently.

In the end, I just felt so relaxed and calm but somehow I also feel alert and refreshed (Stahl &

Goldstein, 2010).

27
 6
Unit

Unit 6: Relaxation Techniques 1: Breathing,

Meditation, and Mental Imagery
Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Diaphragmatic breathing is taking deep breaths with recruitment of the lower
abdomen. This can help reduce stress and pain (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Meditation can benefit us through a body scan. This is where you investigate
how each part of your body feels. This relaxation helps calm breathing and heart rate as it brings
your nervous system to a more balanced state (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010).
Key Learning Point: meditating allows us to observe our thoughts, reminding us, they are just
thoughts, and they aren't necessarily truths. Over time, we can choose our thoughts, and be more
mindful about self-compassion and thinking more positively (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010).

Self-Assessment Exercise:
In this paper, I will explore various relaxation techniques that help to reduce stress. I will

cover diaphragmatic breathing, meditation, as well as imagery and visualization. Since these

techniques have several positive effects on the mind and body, I will discuss that too.

Diaphragmatic breathing is an excellent method to reduce stress; in fact, it’s the easiest and

most accessible resource to tap into. Diaphragmatic breathing is taking deep breaths with recruitment

of the lower abdomen. This therapeutic method of breathing is taught during childbirth classes to for

pain and stress relief. Additionally, this technique has been used for thousands of years and has been

practiced in yoga and in various eastern religions and for good reason. Slow, controlled, deep

28
breathing also induces calmness, relaxation, and promotes concentration while encouraging

homeostasis. It shifts, your focus inward, which has been said to enhance spirituality and raise

consciousness. Furthermore, this can improve left or right brain thinking by alternating each breath

with each nostril (Seaward, 2018).

If you want to tap into this relaxation technique, there are only 3 guidelines to follow. First,

you’ll want to get into a comfortable position. You can sit or lay in a way that feels best to you. Next,

you’ll want to concentrate. So hopefully you are in a place where you have minimal distractions. But

if your mind starts wandering, each time you notice it, take that opportunity to shift the focus back to

your breath. Concentrate and follow each breath as you gently inhale and exhale each breath, feeling

it deep within your abdomen. You can place your hand on your stomach so you can really feel the

engagement of those muscles, while you imagine exhaling excess thoughts. The third think you’ll

want to do is visualize. You can visualize your breathing cycle like a detox for the mind and body.

You can imagine inhaling clean air, and as it passes through your body, think of it cleansing you of

anything weighing you down. With each exhale; imagine releasing any thoughts of fear, doubt,

frustration, or other negativity. Another option you can try is to inhale through the right nostril and

exhale through the left or vice versa. Try repeating several times and then switch to the other side.

Soon you’ll notice the how much better you feel (Seaward, 2018).

Often times, people may practice breathing patterns with meditation. Meditation is another

easily accessible tool that you can tap into, free of charge and has far reaching benefits. This

technique has been around for centuries and has been a part of the major religions around the world.

Meditation is the gateway to the inner self, by detoxing the mind, enhancing spirituality, and allowing

time and space for self-reflection. This is where you can lock secrets of the soul and intuition. And

this can lead to enlightenment. It has also contributes to overall wellbeing so you can achieve mental

29
and physical homeostasis, better memory, and concentration. Some people even use meditation to

manage or cure pain. Meditation has also been helpful to those fighting cancer or heart disease. Many

of us suffer from sensory overload due to our lives and the presence of technology, work deadlines,

meetings, family responsibilities, social engagements, smartphone notifications, and other

miscellaneous distractions. Meditation is the antidote for all the distractions and pressures we face in

our daily lives. It really allows you to take a personal moment for yourself so you can pause, and just

be in the present moment. This practice can also improve brain function by improving neuroplasticity,

laying the connections for acceptance, contentment, compassion, and oneness. Thus making inner

peace a very real experience. And not only is meditation good for one, it’s good for all, as it is

believed to contribute to higher collective conscious (Seaward, 2018).

And this brings us to the last relaxation technique I will discuss, visualization or mental

imagery. This therapeutic technique is where you explore and push the limits of your imagination.

Whether it’s guided by the instructions of someone else, or just by your own creativity and curiosity,

there are several benefits you can gain in addition to relaxation and stress relief. Mental imagery has

been shown to reduce cortisol levels that are present when your body is under stress. There are even

positive effects on the immune system. Studies have shown that imagery has a healing effect when

used in treating a variety of diseases, which can include mental disorders like depression, anxiety,

PTSD, or with eating disorders, as well as other chronic diseases like cancer, obesity, and kidney

disease. Other benefits include improved athletic performance and behavioral changes. As you can

see, mental imagery is such a useful tool that has a variety of benefits (Seaward, 2018).

In conclusion, I hope this paper has been effective in providing insight to various methods of stress

relief; diaphragmatic breathing, meditation, and visualization. Though they are presented separately,

any of these methods can be used separately, or in conjunction with each other, or to complement

30
other healthy living activities like healthy eating and exercise, in order to amplify their effects on the

mind, body, and spirit (Seaward, 2018).

Journal Writing:
Mindful of how you interact with yourself?

I have made significant improvement in this area of my life. A few years ago, I overcame

several traumatic events that forever changed me. For a long time, I thought that my life was ruined

and that I would not ever recover. My self-esteem took a tremendous blow and I fell deep into

depression and anxiety. I may have even become a pessimist almost overnight. And the only self-talk

in my head was negative and I mastered the art of worst-case, what-if scenarios. Many times, I had

stressed myself out so bad that it started to manifest in my body. I had headaches, nausea, loss of

appetite, constipation, tightness in my hips, chest, and shoulders. I cried a lot, and I felt empty inside.

I felt like I was ashamed of the darkness I carried around with me. I struggled for years. After a few

years of therapy, yoga, and meditation, eventually I woke up. I began to experience an internal shift, a

spiritual shift. I didn’t know it at the time, but my spiritual awakening had begun. All of a sudden, I

saw my thoughts and myself as if I were someone else, as if they were someone else’s thoughts. The

crazy thing is that I did not feel attached to them. I had an intense awareness of myself, before,

during, and after I had negative self-talk. And one day, as if for the first time, I could actually see

what I was doing to myself. I was so mean and thought so low of myself, and I realized how I was

holding myself back. I had downplayed all of the wonderful things I had done and how special I was,

but I wasn’t even aware of it. Instead, I would exaggerate negative things, or turn neutral things into

negative, unrealistic expectations for myself, and I would look at everything like it was a failure. So I

realized that I would think things that were completely untrue, things that was mean and pessimistic. I

had been labeled a victim several years before but I realized that I wasn’t allowing myself to heal or

31
to be open to love, not from myself or from anyone else. Luckily, that awareness was the light-switch

that saved my life. Once I realized, that my thoughts were not true, and that I had the option to believe

them or not, I began to see that I had a chance, finally. Over time, I have been able to catch myself

when I’m in thought or having negative self-talk. When it happens, I am able to reframe it. I have

really learned to be gentle with myself and to have more compassion for myself. And that compassion

has flowed towards other people and all living beings. Also, compassion is the reason why I don’t

consume animal products anymore. The amount of love and compassion I have for animals is greater

than I have ever felt before. Additionally, I think I have rewired my brain over the last year because I

don’t really experience negative thoughts or negative self-talk anymore. If I do, it is very infrequent

and I can stop it and reframe almost instantly. This is a huge deal for me. What used to be a daily

occurrence is down to, maybe once every few months. And I am no longer suffering from the habitual

styles of thinking anymore. I have significantly improved my relationship with my inner self, my ego,

and rejuvenated my overall wellbeing. I am happy. I am happy on the inside and on the outside.

Seeds of suffering?

I used to be guilty of watering my own seeds of suffering but I have since cleansed my garden

of those seeds! I know this because I am much more aware of my thoughts and have noticed that I’m

generally much happier than I used to be. Also, I am able to interact with people on a more open and

non-judging manner. I don’t jump to my own concoctions of made up conclusions anymore. I feel

more connected to myself, and to the universe. I am able to appreciate beauty in things that I never

noticed before, or in things that I used to think were ugly. I also feel like I am constantly growing and

evolving, and eager to learn more about myself, the universe, oneness, synchronicity, energy, sacred

geometry, and the power of love.

Day-to-day life feelings of resentment?

32
 I don’t have any resentment at the moment. But I can think of a few times when a friend kind

of snapped on me. My old self would take it personal and feel attacked. But my “new and improved”

self has been able to observe the bigger picture. I can see that she has a lot of inner work to do. I know

that she gets stressed easily and has a low self-esteem. She is a single mom and yearns to have a

complete family and seeks validation from external sources (men, material things, social media,

work). So if any of those things are threatened, it really takes a toll on her. She likes to be in control

and isn’t able to handle stress well and sometimes lashes out at others. So often times, I am the one

she vents to when her world seems like it’s falling apart. I try to be a good listener and I try to give

advice to help her realize her own solutions. But she isn’t always open and ready to look within. But I

understand where she is in life; I understand that she is on her own journey and that her evolution is at

a different pace than mine. So I support her where I can, I cheer her on and encourage her. I never

judge her or insult her. She has come to me with her most dark and deep secrets and thanked me for

not judging her. I remind her to do self-care, meditation, journaling, and help her to practice

reframing. We often have conversations about self-esteem, non-attachment, being gentle on ourselves,

knowing our self-worth, boundaries, needs and wants. We have both been through the storms, in our

own lives at different times but not too far. She knows that I am different now, and she is too, but I

am further along than she is. At the end of the day, I still love her, even if she makes mistakes, or

can’t always see or think things through clearly. I respect the progress that she has made and I will

continue to help her where I can and to remind her to nurture her relationship with her inner self. I

know that she has a lot on her plate and she means nothing malicious towards me.

Reflection on writing?

Wow, this is an incredible assignment. I think it was such a rewarding experience to reflect on

this topic, to consolidate, my thoughts, and to take a moment to give myself credit for my own healing

33
progress. I am so thankful for this assignment because, though I have reflected on this in thought, this

is my first time writing it all down. It has been such a long road for me, but I am grateful for my

journey, the good, the bad, and the ugly. I am even grateful for the catastrophic events that happened

to me because; they were the catalyst for my spiritual transformation. I honestly, do not think I would

be the person I am today, without having gone through it. I have gained wisdom and insight that I

never even knew was possible. Most of all, I have learned to love myself and have begun teaching

others to do the same (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010).

34
 7
Unit

Unit 7: Nutrition and Stress

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Foods and drinks containing caffeine can trigger the stress response. This is
because caffeine contains methylated xanthine, which encourages the body to release stress
hormones. (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Sugary foods, salty foods, alcohol, and high cholesterol foods can have a
negative effect on the body. These foods also contribute to stress (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Stress can have a negative impact on how our body systems function. It can
negatively impact digestion, absorption, and elimination by making these process slow or
minimizing their efficiency (Seaward, 2015).

Self-Assessment Exercise:
In this paper, I will describe my formal practice activity for the Unit 7 assignment. I will also

take this opportunity to reflect on what came up for me mentally, physically, and emotionally.

I decided to do a sitting meditation for this week’s formal practice. I don’t have a device that

plays CD’s so at first I read over the meditation in the class workbook on page 87 (Stahl & Goldstein,

2010). I also decided to make this a 2-part meditation by listening to a guided meditation on Youtube,

“Guided Mindfulness Meditation on Controlling Negative Thoughts (15 Minutes)” by MindfulPeace.

I did this meditation while sitting on my bed. I started with reading the meditation from the

workbook and reflecting after each paragraph. Starting out, I took my breaths like I normally do but

once I noticed the rhythm and depth, I decided to take deeper, more intentional breaths. While sitting

35
“Indian style” on my bed, I noticed the feelings throughout my body and noticed the parts of my body

that were in contact with the bed. I noticed my body felt mostly neutral except there were a few places

with tension in my upper back and shoulders. Prior to the meditation, I had not even noticed that

tension was there. So when I did, I imagined breathing into the tension, and exhaling the tension. At

some point, I noticed that my bed felt soft and pleasant to sit on. So for a few more minutes I

continued to breath and investigate my body. My thoughts were focused on what was going on inside

of my body so I did not have any other thoughts drifting around in my mind. I could feel that the

temperature felt neutral in the room, not hot, not cold; it felt just right. I could smell the vanilla

scented incense burning in the other room. At some point, I noticed I could hear the clock ticking as

the seconds went by; the clock is in the kitchen. But the ticking did not bother me; I just

acknowledged it and let it be. As I reflect now, I am so proud of myself for taking that time for

myself. This part may have last around 10 minutes but I did not set a timer.

Once I was ready, I turned on the guided meditation from YouTube. I felt pretty relaxed and

comfortable going into it. Or so I thought. As I took a few moments to settle into “sharing my present

moment” with a person’s voice, I decided I wanted to take things to a deeper level with breathing

exercises. And that’s about when I noticed I had tightness in my jaws on both sides. So I wiggled my

jaws a bit to loosen up more. I began alternating breathing through each nostril. Inhaling through the

right side and exhaling through the left. I continued to breathe like that for around 5 minutes, maybe

longer. I noticed my left nostril seemed to feel partially clogged, but I continued my breaths.

Breathing got easier after a few breaths. During this time, I felt happy about taking the time for myself

to be present and also for spending time with my nostrils! Eventually, I switched sides for another 5

minutes or so. Through out this time, I thought about the papers I have to write for homework this

week. Writing papers really cause stress for me but I was happy for in that moment, all I had to do

36
was be present. Eventually, I went back to breathing through both nostrils at the same time and

noticed that I felt more alert and that my breathing seemed to be much easier than before focusing on

each side. I also noticed that my back didn’t feel as tense as it did earlier. At some point during the

guided meditation, I thought about how stressed I was on Friday. My best friend stresses me out at

times and at this point, I was happy that all I had to do was be present right now. So I acknowledged

that happened on Friday, but now is now. A few moments later, I repeated a phrase from the guide,

saying, “I let go of yesterday.”

So in conclusion, as I reflect now, I am so thankful for having meditation sessions as

homework. I do feel more relaxed but yet more alert after I meditate. Through out each day, I am

always doing something, always engaged with one thing or another. But when I meditate, I just feel so

good about loving myself enough to spend time with me. I know this is beneficial to my health and I

hope to continue this practice even after this class is over (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010).

37
 8
Unit

Unit 8: Physical Exercise and Activity

Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Journaling is a great method for stress reduction, self-awareness, self-discovery,
and can facilitate spiritual growth. Furthermore, it helps to clear your mind, achieve calmness,
and also supports cardiovascular health (Seaward, 2018).
Key Learning Point: Physical activity contributes to mental health, improved sleep, weight
management, and cardiovascular health. At the same time, it reduces stress, improves self-esteem,
self-reliance, and self-efficacy (Seaward, 2018).
Key Learning Point: Yoga facilitates the mind-body connection while combining physical movement
with breath, and meditation, which ends in relaxation. It’s a great way to reduce stress, enhance
fitness, and to manage some chronic diseases (Mayo Clinic, 2018).

Self-Assessment Exercises:

Proposal for Health and Wellness Management

July 2018
This proposal is prepared for health and wellness management. The scope of the project outlined
includes vendors of national evidence-based products and services. To meet these needs, this proposal
offers consulting services to provide the following expertise: (a) rationale; (b) mind-body programs or
practices; (c) capital outlay; and (d) benefits.

RATIONALE
What is the purpose of this program?

38
My proposal for a health and wellness program is one that is designed to decrease stress by providing

several options to employees giving them flexibility to balance work with wellness at a minimal cost

to the company.

MINDBODY PROGRAMS/PRACTICES
Provide a list for consideration? What are you proposing?

Time for health and wellness activities (2.5 hours per week, per person)

Physical fitness opportunities at the local gym or the trail outside

Walking

Running

Meditation

Journaling

Breathing exercises

Yoga

CAPITAL OUTLAY
What is the equipment needed and cost, [e.g., sound system, speakers, microphone, music, bands,

weights, mats, flooring, and others].

Gym- Free

Fitness classes at the gym- Free

Outdoor Trail- Free

Breathing Exercises- Free

Walking- Free

39
Running- Free

Journaling- Free (employees may choose to supply their own book or can do it on their phone or

computer, but we hope they choose a book so they don’t feel compelled to sit at their desk.)

Health and wellness professional $150/hour (1 person/quarter, up to $600/year)

(Health and Wellness Coach, Yoga Teacher, Mindfulness Teacher, Personal Trainer)

BENEFITS
Health and wellness activities are known to provide a wide range of benefits and there is

something for everyone with a variety of activities to choose from. For example, diaphragmatic

breathing is an excellent method to reduce stress; in fact, it’s the easiest and most accessible resource

to tap into. This therapeutic method of breathing is taught during childbirth classes to for pain and

stress relief. Slow, controlled, deep breathing also induces calmness, relaxation, and promotes

concentration while encouraging homeostasis. It shifts, your focus inward, which has been said to

enhance spirituality and raise consciousness. Furthermore, this can improve left or right brain thinking

by alternating each breath with each nostril (Seaward, 2018).

Often times, people may practice breathing patterns with meditation. Meditation is the

gateway to the inner self, by detoxing the mind, enhancing spirituality, and allowing time and space

for self-reflection. It has also contributes to overall wellbeing so you can achieve mental and physical

homeostasis, better memory, and concentration. Some people even use meditation to manage or cure

pain. Meditation has also been helpful to those fighting cancer or heart disease. Many of us suffer

from sensory overload due to our lives and the presence of technology, work deadlines, meetings,

family responsibilities, social engagements, smartphone notifications, and other miscellaneous

distractions. Meditation is the antidote for all the distractions and pressures we face in our daily lives.

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It really allows you to take a personal moment for yourself so you can pause, and just be in the

present moment. This practice can also improve brain function by improving neuroplasticity, laying

the connections for acceptance, contentment, compassion, and oneness. Thus making inner peace a

very real experience. And not only is meditation good for one, it’s good for all, as it is believed to

contribute to higher collective conscious (Seaward, 2018).

Journaling is a great method for stress reduction, self-awareness, self-discovery, and can

facilitate spiritual growth. Furthermore, it helps to clear your mind, achieve calmness, and also

supports cardiovascular health (Seaward, 2018).

Physical activity provides many of the same benefits previously mentioned but it can also

contribute to mental health, improved sleep, weight management, and cardiovascular health. At the

same time, it reduces stress, improves self-esteem, self-reliance, and self-efficacy (Seaward, 2018).

Also, it’s important to address the flexible approach to this program. Allowing employees to

choose their health and wellness timing is beneficial so that each department can deconflict schedules,

meetings, and deadlines. It’s also nice to have a few options to pick from to spend your time. Perhaps

one person may not enjoy running, but they may enjoy walking, or a yoga class. Or someone else may

choose to journal or meditate instead. Then again this allows time for people to try a new activity they

may not have tried yet like breathing exercises or yoga.

Overall, any employer can benefit from having employees who are experiencing these positive

changes. When people are healthier and taking an active role in their health and wellness, they are

more productive, better at problem solving, less prone to stress, and are better able to communicate

and collaborate with each other. I think this would help to enhance morale and people would have a

better quality of life at home and at work.

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TIMELINE
What is the start-up time needed? Shipping of equipment? Length of program?

We can start this tomorrow! Since we don’t have to wait for supplies to be shipped, this can begin

fairly quickly. We can start by announcing our new health and wellness program and its guidelines.

We can start off by allowing time during work hours for health and wellness activities. Ideally, we

should schedule a health a wellness professional to visit during this quarter to provide a presentation

and or group activity for an hour or less. I think it would be best to have that scheduled sooner than

later. This can provide some fresh ideas for people to incorporate into their health and wellness time.

If we do the yoga class, it can be done through the gym with a yoga teacher; and they will provide the

venue, mats, music and speakers if needed. We can have a different health and wellness professional

visit us each quarter. The proposed budget covers the cost for 1 year.

On a monthly basis, we can ask 2-3 employees to share what changes they’ve incorporated and how

this has benefited them. This can help to keep people engaged and allow for the exchange of ideas to

try. Additionally, this can help us to monitor their interest and attitudes towards the new program. It

can also serve as a tool to see if we need to make changes to the program.

PERSONNEL
Health and Wellness Coach, Yoga Teacher, Mindfulness Teacher, Personal Trainer

TOTAL BUDGET
$600 per year

PITCH
My proposal for a health and wellness program is one that is designed to decrease stress by providing

several options to employees, giving them flexibility to balance work with wellness at a minimal cost

to the company. I suggest permitting at least 2.5 hours a week for employees to participate in health

and wellness activities. Ideally, the employee may choose to take that time based on their schedule. 30

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minutes, 5 days a week is a recommendation. Since we already have free access to a nearby gym and

fitness classes, they can partake in that or do something on their own. This time may even be used for

meditation, journaling, breathing exercises or even yoga. They should be encouraged to take this time

away from their desk. Additionally, on a quarterly basis, I’d like to invite a health and wellness

professional to give us a presentation or take us through a wellness activity together for 1 hour or less.

Suggestions include health and wellness coach, fitness instructor, and topics could include

benefits/techniques of meditation, healthy eating, yoga, sleep hygiene, weight management, or how to

boost self-esteem. On a monthly basis, we should ask 2-3 employees to share what changes they’ve

incorporated and how this has benefited them.

CLASSMATE FEEDBACK

Bernadette Donovan replied, “I love your proposal of thirty minutes a day for stress and wellness

program. I guess employees can use their lunch hour and some of their break time hoping the

company would not lose much if done that way. Having a gym close-by is a definite plus as well. I

have noticed employees who are chained to their desks eight hours a day forty hours per week are

heavier than employees who are not charged with that much desk duty. The monthly sharing of

experiences is awesome. I feel other employees can see and learn from each other what it takes to get

to a healthier more stress-free environment”.

SUMMARY

In this proposal, I have set forth a program to improve health and wellness and to reduce stress with

minimal cost to the company. The benefits far outweigh the costs, since the benefits affect the

company overall as well as each individual. I think people enjoy a bit of flexibility when it comes to

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their time and how it is spent. So if you can have time to participate in the health and wellness activity

of your choice, everyone wins! (Seaward, 2015).

Journal Writing:
I am imagining my best friend sitting in front of me for this assignment.

OPENNESS: This quality is about being open to new ideas and perspectives without being

judgmental. When I think of my best friend, I think about how open we are with each other. We both

have a welcoming attitude about one another and about the experiences we have in life. We both

know we can talk to each other about anything and don’t have to be afraid of judgment. We are both

growing and evolving every day. I enjoy our talks about life and all of its mysteries, surprises, joys

and pains. We discuss the good the bad and the ugly. It’s important to be open-minded and not judge

each other because kindness is what people truly need the most. Many times, it helps just to talk with

someone, to listen.

EMPATHY: Empathy is about understanding someone else’s emotions and what it might feel like to

be in their position. The first thing that comes to mind is that she is a single-mom. Life as a single

mom can be very rewarding but at the same time, it can be stressful and scary. I don’t have any

children so I empathize with her about her challenges. Also, because we have that difference, I

understand that she has to balance her time and energy. We both get the same 24 hours in a day but

she has to devote time and energy towards her motherly responsibilities. So she may not always be

able to talk on the phone or meet at Starbucks at the drop of a hat. Co-parenting presents another

challenge that I empathize for her. She is the best parent in the world and I respect how much time,

effort, and energy she has to invest to make that happen.

COMPASSION: Compassion is the combination of empathy and understanding someone else’s

circumstances and wanting to eliminate hardship. Compassion comes to mind when I think of my best

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friend’s co-parenting situation. I empathize with her about the struggle to try to cooperate with

someone who stands in the way of every solution. This can be very frustrating, stressful and

sometimes lonely. Ideally, co-parenting should be easy if both people are open-minded, kind,

respectful, and consistent. This is not an ideal situation for my best friend, and I have much

compassion for her and what she goes through to make a good life for her daughter. I really wish I

could take away all of the negativity, frustration, and any barriers that stand in the way of her co-

parenting efforts. She is a good person and deserves to have a more positive experience.

LOVING-KINDNESS: Loving-kindness is about truly wishing for the best for someone else. For my

best friend, she recently relocated across the country and has had to start from scratch in building her

home, work, and social life. I really want the best for her and only want nourishing, supportive

relationships for her. Being new in town or at work requires you to have to start over in developing a

name for yourself, creating new relationships, and ultimately finding your groove within your new

surroundings. I hope that she continues to garner more positivity for her surroundings at home, work,

and in social settings.

SYMPATHETIC JOY: This quality is about really enjoying the moment of happiness for someone

else. An example that comes to mind is my best friend’s newly acquired job and town home. She was

delighted to find the perfect neighborhood and townhome that fit her needs. It has plenty of space and

is walking distance to recreational places that she can take her daughter too. Additionally, it fits into

her budget. She was thrilled about this and so was I. She even got a new job that paid more than her

previous job and is a better fit for her skillset. This was another moment of happiness for her. I was

just as joyful as she was. I know that she’s had a lot of transition moments in her life over the last 2

years and I was just so happy for her as I saw her new accomplishments unfold.

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EQUANIMITY: Equanimity is a quality about being stable in your mind when change occurs. I have

two examples of this that I can think of. The first is when she became a mother. Before she became a

mom, we would talk on the phone for hours and spend money on silly things! But now that she is a

mother, her life is very different. It’s different from what it used to be and its different from mine.

Equanimity give me balance and understanding that things a different now. But I don’t treat her

differently or let that affect our friendship. Another example of change is her recent decision to return

to college to finish her degree. I understand that she wants to achieve goals of her own and that this

will be more time and resources that will have to be devoted to a different area of her life. But this

won’t affect our friendship or how I treat her. If anything, I’ll just praise her more for every academic

goal she achieves. We all know that college is time consuming and requires some sacrifices to be

made but it is all worth it in the end. So I remain balanced knowing that she will be more engaged

with things that don’t necessarily involve me.

Summary

This was a great way to reflect on my interpersonal mindfulness and how it relates to a relationship

with someone in my life. Before this week’s reading, I didn’t know this concept existed. Though I am

aware of my own mindfulness of situations, of myself, and for others, I didn’t know this had a name.

This was a good experience for me to go through this assignment and reflect on our friendship while

consolidating everything in writing (Stahl & Goldstein, 2010).

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 9
Unit

Unit 9: Applying Stress: Critical Issues for

Management and Prevention to your
Professional Life
Information to Remember:
Key Learning Point: Having a strong social support system can help protect you from stress. These
special people also help improve your quality and length of life (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Dream therapy is a great way to reveal the hidden secrets of your unconscious
mind by decoding recurring dreams and the common symbols or themes in them. It can help you
draw connections to things that are causing stress in your life (Seaward, 2015).
Key Learning Point: Engaging in hobbies can help reduce stress and clear your mind. They can even
nurture your identity, character, and self-esteem (Seaward, 2015).

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Additional Information
Secondary Sources:

Campbell, J., & Cousineau, P. (2014). The hero's journey: Joseph Campbell on his life and work.

Dass, R., & 3M Company. (2010). Be Here Now. Place of publication not identified: HarperCollins.

Heart Math. (n.d.). Home - HeartMath Institute. Retrieved from https://www.heartmath.org

Mind, Body, Green. (n.d.). mindbodygreen. Retrieved from https://www.mindbodygreen.com

Mayo Clinic. (2015, June 25). Why try tai chi?. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-

lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/tai-chi/art-20045184

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 References

Campbell, J., & Cousineau, P. (2014). The hero's journey: Joseph Campbell on his life and work.

Dass, R., & 3M Company. (2010). Be Here Now. Place of publication not identified: HarperCollins.

Mayo Clinic. (2015, June 25). Why try tai chi?. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-

lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/tai-chi/art-20045184

Mayo Clinic. (2018, June 13). Yoga: Fight stress and find serenity. Retrieved from

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/yoga/art-20044733/

Seaward, B. (2015). Managing stress: Principles and strategies for health and well-being (8th ed.).

Boston, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

Stahl, B. & Goldstein, E. (2010). A mindfulness-based stress reduction workbook. Oakland, CA: New

Harbinger Publications, Inc.

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